Buffalo Bisons baseball – Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays

Terry Collins to lead Amazins

By Blake Arlington, bisons.com

The New York Mets today announced that they have hired Buffalo Baseball Hall of Famer TERRY COLLINS to be their new field manager.

Collins, 61, managed the Bisons form 1989-1991 and was 246-186 during his time with the club. The .569 winning percentage is the 8th highest in the 125-year history of the Buffalo Bisons. Collins won 80 games in each of his three years on the bench and took the Herd to the American Association playoffs in 1991.

Collins is now the fifth current major league manager with direct ties to the Buffalo Bisons. San Diego Padres manager Bud Black was the Bisons pitching coach in 1998 while Seattle Mariners manager Eric Wedge led the Bisons to a 178-108 record in two years on the bench in Buffalo, 2001-2002. Newly hired Toronto Blue Jays manager John Farrell was 20-21 with a 5.02ERA in three seasons pitching for the Herd, 1987 and 1995-1996. Chicago Cubs manager Mike Quade played 63 games with the Double-A Buffalo Bisons during the 1981 season.

Collins, 61, joined the Mets in 2010 as the Minor League Field Coordinator, overseeing all on-field aspects of the Mets Minor League Spring Training, mini-camps and the Fall Instructional League.

Collins spent six years as a major-league manager, leading the Anaheim Angels and Houston Astros to winning records and second-place finishes in his five full seasons. He managed the Angels from 1997-1999 and the Astros from 1994-1996, compiling an overall record of 444-434 (.506).

“Terry’s a lifelong baseball man who comes with the entire package – leadership, preparation, emotional commitment, and the drive to win,” said Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson. “We believe Terry’s knowledge of our players, energy, intelligence, intensity, and direct approach will make an immediate, positive impact both in the clubhouse and on the field.”

“I want to win and there is no doubt in my mind we have the talent to win,” said Collins. “I know from working firsthand with our prospects that this organization is filled with potential for the future. It’s my job to help transform this team into the winner that our fans deserve, and I’m excited to get started.”

Collins also served as manager the Orix Buffaloes in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league from 2007-2008 and guided Team China in the 2009 World Baseball Classic to its first tournament victory.

Collins managed 11 years in the minors from 1981-1991, including capturing the Pacific Coast League championship in 1987 with the Albuquerque Dukes. The former shortstop played 10 seasons in the minors with the Dodgers from 1974-1978, 1980, 1984 and Pirates from 1971-1973. Collins, a native of Midland, Mich., graduated from Eastern Michigan University in 1971 and was twice named to the NAIA Collegiate World Series All-Tournament team in 1968 and 1970.

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